KARE 11 Investigates - Jungle Josh

By Brad Woodward, KARE 11 TV, Minneapolis, MN - November 24, 2002
Video available here.

In the KARE 11 Extra on Sunday, Brad Woodard told the story of Josh Weinstein, a self-proclaimed actor and animal trainer under investigation by a federal agency.

Weinstein recently relocated to Minnesota with his menagerie of exotic animals. A look at his past revealed an array of disturbing incidents, including allegations of abusing and neglecting exotic animals.

This story is available to watch on streaming video at right.

USDA has requested a copy of our report to determine if further investigation is merited. But it refused to officially comment on the Weinstein case.

If you'd like to comment to the USDA call 919-716-5532 and ask to speak to an Animal Care Specialist.

Story Transcribed:

HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN MARVEL AT THEIR DIGNITY IN THE WILD...

AND YET DELIGHT IN THEIR ANTICS WHEN MAN'S CLOEST RELATIVE IS PLACED IN UNNATURAL SURROUNDINGS.

CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE POSSIBILITY THAT WHAT SEEMS LIKE HARMLESS ENTERTAINMENT SOMETIMES IS IN FACT ...NOT.

UH UH. HEY! SIT DOWN!

AN ISLAND ON A RURAL MINNESOTA POND SEEMS AN UNLIKELY PLACE FOR A GREAT APE TO ROAM. BUT TARZAN, A NINE YEAR OLD MALE CHIMPANZEE...

(NATSOUND) ...HOP ON...

WAS BROUGHT HERE JUST OVER A YEAR AGO BY ANIMAL TRAINER JOSH WEINSTEIN.

(WEINSTEIN) NO, NO. SIT NORMAL

(Brad Woodard)

EXPERTS SAY THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT A CHIMP SITTING IN A CANOE. THEY CAN'T SWIM AND ARE DEATHLY AFRAID OF WATER.

(SOT UNDER WEINSTEIN) OH, HE'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE A SON TO ME. I DON'T HAVE ANY KIDS.

(Brad Woodard) SO, WHO IS JOSH WEINSTEIN?

(WEINSTEIN)OH, I'M JUST AN ANIMAL TRAINER AND I GUESS AN ACTOR AND PERFORMER AND A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

(Brad Woodard) WEINSTEIN, WHO HAS ACTED IN MARS ATTACKS AND AUSTIN POWERS TWO AMONG OTHER THINGS, SAYS HE HAS 35 ANIMALS AT HIS DISPOSAL...BUT DECLINED OUR REQUESTS TO SEE WHERE THEY WERE HOUSED. I'D RATHER NOT SHOOT THE CAGES.

(Brad Woodard) HE SAYS HE HIRES THEM OUT THRU HIS COMPANY, SAFARI WILDLIFE, TO THE TELEVISION AND MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY...BUT THAT NOW HE'S FOCUSSING HIS ATTENTION ON A NEW COMEDY ACT THAT HE HOPES TO TAKE TO NIGHTCLUBS..

(WEINSTEIN) JUNGLE JOSH AND THE WILD ONES. YOU PAID FOR THE WHOLE SEAT...BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED THE EDGE. ALRIGHT COME ON BUDDY.

(Brad Woodard) WE INVITED JUNGLE JOSH AND HIS WILD ONES TO OUR STUDIO FOR A SAMPLING.

(Brad Woodard) THE ACT FEATURES, A PIG, A WOODCHUCK AND A LION...

(Brad Woodard) BUT THE STAR OF THE SHOW IS TARZAN

(WEINSTEIN) THIS IS OUR BIG BREAK AND YOU'RE OUT HERE IN THIS CHEAP TACKY GUERILLA SUIT.

(Brad Woodard) ALTHOUGH IT QUICKLY BECAME APPARENT THAT STAR TREATMENT IS NOT THE ONLY KIND OF TREATMENT TARZAN RECEIVES.

(WEINSTEIN) STAND UP! DON'T START BEING A TURD NOW. HEY. COULD WE DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME?

(Brad Woodard) IT WASN'T TARZAN'S PERFORMANCES THAT STOOD OUT (TARZAN CRIES) BUT WHAT AT TIMES LED UP TO THEM ... HOLD IT UP. HOLD IT ... MISS DOLLY PARTON ... TALK, TALK TALK TALK. CUT IT FOR A SECOND. HOLD IT. HOLD IT HERE. STAY. OKAY GO AHEAD AND START IT AGAIN. NOW KEEP IN MIND, WEINSTEIN IS FULLY AWARE OUR CAMERAS ARE ROLLING

(WEINSTEIN) OKAY. YOU HOLD IT! AND YOU HOLD IT STEADY! STAY!

(JANE GOODALL) OH, THIS IS SO FOUL.

(Brad Woodard) WE ASKED TWO OF THE WORLD'S LEADING AUTHORITIES ON CHIMPANZEE BEHAVIOR TO VIEW PORTIONS OF TARZAN'S PERFORMANCE.

(GOODALL)IT'S JUST MISERY

(Brad Woodard) DOCTOR JANE GOODALL HAS BEEN STUDYING CHIMPS IN THE WILD FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

(DR. ROBERT FOUTS) HE'S NOT LIKE ANY CHIMP I'VE EVER SEEN.

(Brad Woodard) DR. ROGER FOUTS HAS STUDIED CHIMPS FOR 35 YEARS AND COMMUNICATES WITH THEM USING SIGN LANGUAGE.

(FOUTS) HE'S SCARED TO DEATH OF THIS GUY.

(WEINSTEIN WITH CHIMP) TALK, TALK. TALK, TALK.

(GOODALL) SEE HOW HE FLINCHES? WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THAT HE'S SCARED.

(TARZAN FLINCHING)

(FOUTS) THE CHIMP WAS ANTICIPATING BEING STRUCK OR PUNISHED IN SOME FASHION. YOU DON'T FLINCH FOR NO REASON.

(Brad Woodard) FOUTS AND GOODALL SAY THOSE THOSE FAMILIAR CHIMP GRINS ARE IN FACT DISPLAYS OF FEAR...AND THAT WHAT THEY WITNESSED ON TAPE...CONSTITUTES ABUSE.

(WEINSTEIN) TALK, TALK TALK TALK.

(GOODALL) HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE'S COMPLETELY BEWILDERED. HE THINKS HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING...BE HE GETS IT WRONG ALL THE TIME.

(WEINSTEIN) OKAY, CUT IT.

(WEINSTEIN) I THINK MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ANIMALS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT I LOVE THE ANIMALS AND THEY'RE WELL CARED FOR.

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